Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1887-10-19
q Serial Sturp.
lLL TIRE WORLD AT War.
BY WALTER BESANT.
CHAPTER VII.
THE VICTORY OF TRAFALGAR.

CHAPTER VII,
THE VICTORY OF TRAFALGAR
Day followed day, and season followed
season. I had been with Lady Campiou
nearly two years had been so long In the
great, quiet house, where no football was eve,
heard on the thick carpets, so long with the
stately lady who saw everything with blind
eyes, that the old life seemed quite gone and
lost. No more running and singing; and il,
as happened sometimes at first, sense oi
WEAKNESS would fall upon me, madam, who
OWNED everything, would admonish me:
'sIt Is for Wills sake, Pleasance."
And for his dear sake, what labor, what
weariaess, could not be bornes
We did not stay all the time in the city.
Lady Campion had house at Chertsey,
whittier for three months in the year we re-
paired, governess, lessons, and all. There q
horse was kept for my own riding, and a
groom to protect me. When September
vanished, and the leaves were yellow, we left
Chertsey and drove back to our city house,
ina carriage almost as grand as that Of the
lord mayor.
No letter from Will all this time; not one
line,
We kept up the deceitful correspondence
batween Will and his mother. What travels
we cont,ived for himi What adventures
John Huntspin and I initiated from books, or
invented out Of our own headl What hair
breadth escapes! What romantic incidentsl
Madam had no suspicion. She watched for
the arrival Of the letters; she had them read
and reread to her; she learned them all by
heart; she quoted them as admirable speci-
mems of the best modern style; she dated
events from incidents in the letters.
They were all victorious in those days.
Surely there was never time when nation
was SO brave as in the time OF that long war.
There was No. note of hesitation then-no
timid counsels; Girl as Twas, gloried in
the spirit of the country, when, with one
consent, the nation few to arms to resist the
threatened invasion. Every day after break
fast read aloud The Morning Post, especially
that portion of the paper which gave the
naval intelligence.
One morning I read the news of the battle
Of Trafalgar.
The list Of casualties would be published
in q few days. John Huntspill and went
about with heavy hearts. He did not dare
to meet myeyes, for his Portsmouth CORE
spondent had found out that oil four were on
board the Victory.
We had illuminations in the city to cele-
brate the event on the Day Of Rejoicing. We
drove in state to church to offer up our far
from humble offering; we invited guests for
a feast of thanksgiving; we sent money for
the poor in token Of gratitude, and we gave
orders tina: the rejoicings of the house Of
Campion & Co. should excel in splendor those
of every other private house. The front Of
the house was covered over with trellis
work, on which were fixed thousands Of oil
lamps of different colors, arranged in patri-
otic designs. In the center was the lion and
unicorn, with the words "God save King
Georse!n Above was the union jack, with
the legend Honor to the glorious deadr'
drew out the plan by madam's instructions.
She thought me wanting in enthusiasm and
delivered little speech on the part which
should be borne by women in the glory OF
their country. Above all, she said-her
words fell upon me as a bad omen-above all,
women must be ready, for the sake OF their
country, to imperl without murmur the
lives Of husbands, lovers or sons.
On the morning of this joyful day John
Huntspill, in paying his daily visit to madam,
handed me quietly letter. Itwas addressed
to mel had seen the writing once before, in
the parish register-by the rector OF RouSdon.
Could it be from Will? Ihastened away and
tore it open with trembling fingers. 1t was
not from Will 1t was from Dan Gulliver,
and it was the saddest letter that ever girl
received.
my DEAR PRETTY" Said poor old DAM
I'VE have made the port of Portsmouth, with
the admiral aboard III his coffin. Jephthah
was killed in the action with a round shot,
which cut him in two pieces. My poor,
pretty Pleasance! don't cry too much, but
Mr.. Campion fell overheard on the way
home, and is consequently drowned. This IS
bad news for You, am afraid, and for me
too. Job sends his love, and he says he Is
alive, and he wishes it had been him. Your
afectionate DAN GULLIvER"
That is the news which greeted me on the
day Of illumination for the victory Of Ira
falgar.
My governess came to me. sent her away
with some excuse and sat down by myself,
saying over and over again, so that should
be able to feel the whole bitterness Of despair:
"Will is drowned Will is drowned! We
shall never see him againl"
John Huntspill came in search Of ME. he
saw by my face what had happened. He took
the letter from my fingers and read it. Poor
Pleasance!" hs said. Poor, poor child"
think he must have sat with me all that
morning. I know he talked from time to
time, but forget what he said. Presently l
began to understand something. 1--WE must
not let madam know" he repeated. "She
must never know. We will prepare a letter
from-from her son"-he paused, and for q
moment his voice broke-"stating that he Is
going on some expedition up the country;
and then no more letters at all will come
afterward and you will mourn together-you
and his mother. But she must never know
her sons real end"
Had I had my will would have gone
straight to madam and told her all. But it
seemed more merciful that she should be
spared the details, which he wished his mother
never to know.
"For his sake, Pleasance," urged John
Huntspill, "for his sake be brave; keep your
heart before her. Let not my lady's pride,
as well as her heart, be broken. She must
never know. For his sake she must never
know"
He would not leave me till promised that
would do my best. During the rejoicings
too would seem to rejoice.
Oh, heavy day! Oh, day which seemed as
il it would never pass! At was called to
luncheon with madam. She was in excel
lent spirits, happier than had ever known
her. Presently she asked sharply: "What is
the matter, Pleasance7 You are crying"
II was thinking, madam" sobbed, "of
the brave fellows who are killed"
"Yes, but there is a time to mourn and a
time to rejoice. You were thinking, my
child, Of my SON." did not answer. Come
to me, Pleasance." She was sitting after
luncheon in her arm chair beside the window.
"Come to me-"
knelt at her feet and buried my head in
her lap.